Well-bucket.



F. A. STEARNS.

WELL BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1911. RENEWED DEC. 24, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

61 Haunt FRANK A. STEARNS, OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

WELL-BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 21, 1911, SerialNo. 634,451.

Patented May 6,1913. Renewed December 24, 1912. Serial No. 738,475.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK A. S'rnAnNs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Hot Springs, in the county ofGarland and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvementsin lVell-Buckets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to well buckets, and has for its primary object toprovide a bucket of this character in which water will be let into abucket on the lowering of the same into a well, the latter beingpreferably of the bored type, and upon the lifting of the bucket, thesame will be closed at its bottom, whereby the water contained in thebucket may be raised to the top of the well and thence discharged fordrinking or other uses.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a well bucketwherein the valve in the bottom thereof will be perfectly seated, so asto prevent any possibility of the leakage of the water, on the liftingof the bucket from the bore of the well.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a well bucketwhich is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient inoperation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a well bucketconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view thereof, showing the valve in open positionwhen the said bucket is being lowered into the bore of the well. Fig. 3is a similar View, showing the valve in closed position. Fig. 4 is abottom plan view of the bucket. Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the bucket comprises acylindrical or tubular body 5 formed with an inverted frusto-conicalbottom 6, and a spherical zone top 7, the bottom 6 being provided with acentral opening 8, the edge of which is reinforced by means of a curledrim 9, in which is arranged an annular reinforcing wire 10, and the top7 is formed with a central opening 11, the same being spanned by anupwardly bowed cross bridge piece 12, serving as a guide for a valve rodor stem, presently described.

Formed in the contracted bottom 6, spaced from the opening 8 therein, isa convex auxiliary bottom 13 provided with a central valve seat 14., inwhich is normally seated a resilient spherical shaped valve 15, the samebeing fixed upon the lower end of a valve rod or stem 16, passedupwardly centrally through the body 5, and also through a suitablecentral opening formed in the bridge piece 12, the upper end of the stemor rod 16 being provided with an eye 17, with which is engaged thehoisting rod or other connection 18 of well operating mechanism (notshown), whereby the said bucket may be lowered into and raised from thebore in the well for the lifting of water therefrom. for its dischargeinto a trough for drinking or other uses.

In the operation of the bucket, the body 5 is lowered into the well onthe slackening of the hoisting cable 18, and when the said body 5contacts with the water contained in the well, the valve 15 will open,thereby permitting the inflow of water into the body 5, and on pullingupon the hoisting cable 18, the valve will be brought toits seat 141,thereby closing the bottom of the bucket, thus retaining the contents ofthe body 5 for the 'aising of the same to the top of the well, whencethe said body may be positioned upon a trough, and in so doing the valvewill open for the discharge of the water from the body. However, if itis not desired to discharge the water into a trough, a person may forcethe stem 16 inwardly, thereby unseating the valve 15, thus permittingthe water to be discharged from the body through its open bottom into asuitable receptacle. The contracted bottom 6 of the body 5 is formed atintervals with suitable air openings 19, which allow the escape of airfrom the body when the open bottom contacts with the water in the well,and also these openings will permit the inflow of water into the body011 the lowering of the bucket into the well.

What is claimed is:

A well bucket, comprising a tubular body having contracted oppositeends, a convex dome-like supplemental bottom mounted securely Within thesaid tube spaced from the the opening in the supplemental bottom on 10contracted lower end thereof and having a pulling upon said valve rod.

central opening, a bridge piece fixed to the In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature opposite contracted end of the tube, a valve inpresence of tWo Witnesses. rod slidable through the bridge piece andFRANK A STEARNS extending centrally through a greater portion of thelength of the tube, and a spherical \Vitnesses:

shaped resilient valve fixed to the inner end R0131. MorrAT, of the rodand adapted to become seated in B. K. GOLD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G.

